Kilted St. Augustine calendar features local male models

Photographer Gary LeVeille poses local fireman on Thursday morning at the Fountain of Youth for the 2013 Kilted St. Augustine calendar, a scholarship fundraiser project of Romanza Inc., the local nonprofit that organizes the Celtic Festival and the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Firemen are Brian Aschoff, Alex Courter, Patrick Naughton, Vince Coursey, Michael Meacham and Daniel Outley. By RENEE UNSWORTH, renee.unsworth@staugustine.com

Local fireman Brian Aschoff, Alex Courter, Patrick Naughton, Vince Coursey, Michael Meacham and Daniel Outley pose for photographer Gary LeVeille on Thursday morning at the Fountain of Youth. The photos will be used for Romanza's Kilted St. Augustine 2014 calendar. Sharon Cunningham, also shown in the photo, helps LeVeille with his lighting. By RENEE UNSWORTH, renee.unsworth@staugustine.com

This fundraiser project of Romanza Inc., the nonprofit that organizes the annual Celtic Festival and St. Patrick’s Day parade, will benefit Romanza’s scholarship program for local students.

Photographer Gary LeVeille set up the photo shoot and helped pose the firefighters around Ashley the Pink Firetruck. The Fountain of Youth’s entrance served as the backdrop.

Some of the fireman were natural models, comfortable with showing off a little leg, while others needed a little more instruction from LeVeille. They all laughed and made funny faces at one another in between takes.

“The idea came from the need to do more as an organization in the community,” said Sharon Cunningham, Romanza member, St. Patrick’s Day parade co-organizer and co-owner of Ann O’Malley’s Deli & Pub.

Sharon and her husband John Cunningham were on hand Thursday morning to assist LeVeille by holding his camera flashes and lights.

“Romanza, as the arts and culture 501(c)3 (nonprofit) thought that a scholarship was a no-brainer, thus the St. Augustine High School Performing Arts Scholarship was born. Now, how do we fund it? Why not showcase 12 of our favorite guys in town in what is fast becoming as common in St. Augustine as the Red Spanish wool coat — kilts.”

This year, Romanza awarded two $500 scholarships to graduating seniors enrolled at St. Johns County Center for the Arts at St. Augustine High School who plan to major in performing arts at the college level.

Calendar models include Chad Light, Fred Jackson, Rocky Sawyer, Tim Prescott, Jim Sloan, Walter O’Kon, John Cunningham, Red Gemmell, Chris Emerson, Scott Waters, members of the Scottish band Albannach, the 501st Stormtroopers, local firefighters and motorcycle riders.At 8 a.m. on Sunday, local motorcycle riders will gather at the Old Jail, where the cover of the calendar will be shot by LeVeille.

In addition to the local models, the calendar will be printed by local print broker Diane Dew. The 12-inch by 12-inch calendar will be in full color with UV coating on the covers.

Romanza will debut the calendar from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 12 during a reception at Amici Restaurant. Some of the Kilted St. Augustine celebrities will be in attendance to autograph the calendars.

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I love these photos. With this calendar it will be my birthday everyday. The only thing that will heal the hole my true love GK left by leaving me is a calendar filled with these brave men in their handsome kilts.